knight



r H. K111 11111." v rnoczss OF AND APPARATUSUTFOR SOIL ,TREATMENT.

APPLICATION FIL ED "AI. [0, 1921.

. Bei ssued July 12, 1921. 1

NW 3 NM H. KNIGHT.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 10, I921.

PROCESS OF AND'APPARATUS FOR S OIL TREATMENT.

Reissiled July 12, 1921.

H. KNIGHT. PROCESS OF AND APPARA'I US FOR SOIL TREATMENL.

APPLICATION FILE D MAR. :0, 1921. Beissued July 12, 192 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES HERBERT KNIGHT, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOIL TREATMENT.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissu d J l 12 192 Original No. 1,359,177, dated November 16,1920, Serial No. 305,173, filed June 18, 1919. Application for reissue filed March 10, 1921. Serial No. 451,286. a

To all whom it may concern Be'it known that I, HERBERT'KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Processes of and Apparatus for Soil Treatment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to a new process and apparatus for soil treatment, and specifically to the art of agriculture, having reference generally to the art' of employing certain novel instrumentalities for increasing the fertility of thesoil and the consequent growth of vegetation; the invention can be utilized not only in the art and practice of agriculture, however, but can e employed in the ditching and drainage of land and for military purposes as will be explained.

It is a well known fact that it is most desirable, in order to produce an increment above the normal yield of any particular soil, to penetrate with the plow, or other implement of tillage, to a depth commensurate with the natural requisition of the root area; if it falls short of this, if in fact the implement fails to loosen and disturb the soil sufiiciently to properly receive, and retain, the rainfall so as to conserve the moisture according to the necessities of the particular vegetation, the agencies employed are inadequate and the best results possible are therefore not achieved. I

To the above ends, my present invention consists broadly speaking, in a novelprocess of employing gas expanding compounds, for tillage purposes, such as plowing the soil, or subsoil, cultivating and'harrowing, distributing fertilizing compounds'or material, placing or planting' seed, providing for greater aeration of the S011, storing and a rendering moisture moreavailable, assisting and accelerating the operation of the nitrifying microbe and otherwise benefiting plant growth, as will be explained.

In reducing-this invention to commerclal use variously modified instrumentalities may be employed according to the particular problem, or problems, which diiferent conditions and requirements present as well as the phase of activity to WhlC-h my process may be directed; the value and potency of my present invention residing largely 1n the regularity of the deposition of the packages containing the gas expa'nding compounds.

11 order to explain my invention more fully I will proceed to describe it in connectlon with the accompanying drawings; by means of these drawings I illustrate one form of apparatus for carrying my inve'ntion into practical effect; the implements and lnstrumentalities herein shown'however may be widely varied without departing from the scope'an'd spirit of my invention; n fact any suitable instrument, or implements, may be employed in the'utilizatio'n of my process. 1

In these drawings 7 F1gure 1 represents a longitudinal section on the line II Fig. 7 in this view I show a body of soil in the process of cultivation, with the implement for carrying my invention 1nto effect in operation; the process hereinafter claimed, the orderly procedure and periodicity are illustrated in this figure.

Fig. 2 is a detail view. A v

Fig. 3 is a detail sectionalview toa-lar er scale of the high explosive packagewhich I employ herein.

Fi 1 is a horizontal section on the line IV. V, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows the soil after the completion of my process of operation with the seed 1n posltion.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the] line VI-VL-Fig'. 1. P

Fig. 7 is a' transverse section on the line VII-VII, Fig. 1. Q

In these drawings 10 represents a frame, preferably of steel and consisting'of longitudinal and transverse beams attached each to the other in any' suitable manner and forming a compact structure rectangular in shape; a seat for the operator is provided at 11 and said seat is supported 'on the longi-' tudinal frame piece 10' at 12 by'means of the spring support 13.

It is my intention in carrying into practical effect the implement here'ln' shown to' provide such various facilities so that the gangs iof disk plows 14 at the forward end and by wheels 15 at the rear; the latter are here shown two in number, see Figs. 1 and 4 and theformer are shown in two sets or gangs; in addition to. partially support ing the implement'the disk plows 14 and the rear wheels 15 are means for guiding the implement to the right or left.

Thediskplows are supported on central shafts 16 turning in the downwardly ex- .nions 19 and are connected by'transverse bar, 24 by pinsv25 affording a turning movement. i This bar '24 is connected by pin 26 to bar 27 which latter is swiveled to an arm 28 of a bell crank leverby means of pin 29; this bell crank lever-has a central pin 30 working in thimble 31 the latter be ing secured to bracket 32 hung from the main frame 10; the other arm 33 of thebell crank lever is connected by a pin 34 to the link 35 which latter extends upwardly and rearwardly and is pivotally secured at 36 to a traveling nut 37 extending through the .latteris the screw 38 which is on the forward end of rod or shaft 39. This latter has at its rear end the operating handle or wheel 40 accessible to the operator seated at 11, The rod or shaft 39 is provided with a sleeve 41 which latter is secured to a ring 42 mounted upon and supported by an arm 43 attached to the main frame of the machine.

The traveling nut 37 is secured at oint .36 to bel1crank levers 44 turning on pin 45.

Extending rearwardly from the rear member of one of the bell-crank levers 44 is a bar 46 swiveled to horizontally swinging bellcrank lever 47 the latter being secured to and turning in the frame of the machine by means of pivot pin 48; the other arm of the bell crank lever is pivotally attached to the floating bar 49 which latter at its further end is pivotally secured at 50 to the connecting link bar 51 which extends between and is pivotally connected to the front ends of the forwardly extending arms 52; these latter are secured to the upper ends of pin tles 53; these pintles are the upper termi nals of the yokes 54 which latter extend down and on both sides of each of the rear wheels 15 being connected thereto by pins 55; the yoke pieces, 54 have shoulders 56 upon which seat the thimbles 57 of, the main frame 10.

I It will be seen that as the bar 46 is pushed back the bell'crank lever 47 will turn on the point-48 and the said bell crank lever will assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig 4. This will cause the connecting link bar 51 to move to th left and through the medium of the intermediary parts to throw the wheels to the dotted position shown in same figure; these are all conventional constructions and" may be readily understood without extended description.

'Theguiding and steering elements at the rear of the'implement will operate in con- 'sonancy with the corresponding elements at At 58 I showtwo wheels mounted cen trally on the axle 50. At 60 are motors mounted-uponbed plate 61 secured to the main frame 10. These motors maybe of any suitable construction but in the present instance are ordinary gasolene engines. The engine shaft is shown at 62, fiy wheel at 63'; at 64 is a sprocket wheel operating a sprocket chain 65 hereinafter referred to. At 66"is a gear wheel meshing with a similar wheel 6i7fimounted upon and turning with shaft 68; this latter is provided at eachend with gear wheels 69 which intermesh-with the inside gears 70 of the wheels 58; by the operation of theaforesaid parts rotation is given to the said wheels 58; this rotation is in the direction'of the arrow shown in Fig. 1.

The wheels 58 constitute the traction memplow members; at the place they enter the soil they are-pointed provided in fact with a cutting edge, and toward the rear they widen out; they thus operate'like plows as well as increasing the traction of the wheel. As I employ'the plow-tractor members 71 they serve more particularly to open the soil locally and at the places where the seed is to be deposited; they also pave the way for what I will term herein the cannon; that is the" implements which I employ for receiving, carrying and discharging the explosive packages into the soil.

These cannon are shownin section in Fig. 1; they consist of centrally disposed members 72 with a middle bore 73 in which operates a plunger 74; this plunger is swiveled at its inner end to the block 75 traveling in spiral groove 76 of the circular frame 77 secured from rotation or other movement by being attached in any suitable place and manner to the main frame 10.

The groove 76 which controls the movements of the plunger 74 is as stated irregular or spiral in shape; in Fig. 1 the lowermost of the blocks 75 has reached the edge or corner 78 of the said spiral groove and a slight further movement of the wheel 58 in the direction of the arrow will permit the said block 75 to drop off this corner being impelled in this movement by the spring 79 which bears at the top against stud 80 on the wheel 58 and at the bottom against the button '81 on the plunger 74.

When the block 75 drops off the corner 78 of the groove 7 6, the spring 79 thrusts the plunger 74 outwardly and it quickly descends and strikes the cartridge 82 exploding it; by this explosion I increase the area of soil disturbance at those localities where I purpose depositing the seed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have described detailed means for periodie cally functioning the cartridge which means are fully shown in the drawings presenting an operative proposition. I v

To illustrate, andreferring to Fig. :1 again, I show the soil in longitudinal section; that part of the soil above the line A-A, I refer to as the top soil, that which is'usuall employed in tillage; the ortion of the sol between the lines A-A an BB, I refer to as hard pan, a condition occurring at many places in this country and constituting a continuous menace to the farmer as placing an almost impassable barrier to the downward growth of the plant roots; it is one of the objects of my present invention to enetrate this hard pan at such points and at such places where I intend subsequently placing the seed for the proposed crop; the enetration of this hard pan may be accomp ished artly by the plow members 71 and part y and finally by the explosion. of the cartridge 82. When the cartridge is exploded it disturbs the soil sub stantiall between the curved lines X Y; the resu t is a ocket which. operates to conserve the rainfall and permit also the easy enetration of the plant roots at this point;

rthermore as will; be seen the area disturbed extends quite adistance below the hard pan whose lower level is indicated by the line B--B. Beneath this hard pan is a. subsoil which contains important and valuable plant food and which under the ordinar -methods of tillage;isnever rendered available forjthis purpose; I, by my im roved method open it up. for the first time in a scientificlinannerand on anextensrve scale and at the same time I economize in energy expended as I limit the operations to circumscribed areas-the local points or places intended for immediate use.

The explosive unit illustrated here by the cartr1dge 82 can be made up in any desired manner; I show an outer cover 83 containng the high explosive 84; at 85 I show a detonator with an anvil plate at 86 a cap at 87 and cover piece at 88; this is all shown in detail in the cross section Fi 3.

I will proceed to descri e the means for introducing or feeding these cartridges or high explosive packages to the cannon 72. At 89 show two cylinders; these constitute magazines or containers for the cartridges or high explosive packages. These cylinders or magazines are shown to advantage in cross section Fig. 6 and longitudinal section Fig. 1. They are provided with pivots or turning points 90, one at each end, which are supported by and turn in standards 91 rising from the main frame 10 of the machine; pins 92 controlled by springs 93 c0- operating with detents 94 serve to retain the magazine to the position at which it is thrown-and this latter is accomplished by the operator seated at 11; the said operator, see Fig. 6, can by taking hold of the handles 95, and giving same a sharp jerk move the cylinder and advance it to another position; each magazine contains six rows of cartridges and when these are all exhausted the cylinder can be taken down and reloaded; but with the device and arrangement as shown an extensive field can be operated upon before reloading becomes necessary.

One of the requisites of my herein described implement is the periodicv introduction of the cartridges intothe cannons as they move around with the wheels 58 and to effect this it will be seen referring to Fig.

1 that the forward ends of the ma azine are coincident; in line with the mout s of the cannon when the latter reach the zenith of their swing; this propinquity enables the easy and immediate transfer of the cartridge from the magazine to the cannon; part of the machinery therefor is shown in thedetached view Fig. 2.

When the parts have reached the position shown in 1 the cartridge 82 which provides a definite explosive charge and is located at the extreme right lower tier of the cylinder 89 is about to be deposited in the mouth of the cannon 72 now open and immediately below same; the springs 96 and followers 97 are utilized to keep the cartridges moving toward the outer end of the cylinder when the supply of any one tier is drawn-upon; by this means and in this manner the particular cartridge just referredtois positioned to dropthrough the opening 98 into the arrested and upwardly turned cannon.

This cartridge is ordinarily held to its position in the cylinder bymeans of a latch -99 pivoted at 100 to the extension101 0f the shoulder 102 forming the upperp'art of the standard 103, which latter'is secured at its lower end to the main frame 10 at 10s. See- 108 which as the frame mov's upwardly strikes against the latch 99 raising sameand thus removing the detaining instrument of the-cartridge 82.

This position is shown in Fig. 1 and the cartridge has commenced to drop into the cannon as before explained; the above mentioned upward movement of, the frames is brought about as follows: referring to Fig. 2 as the arm 106 moves backward toward the magazine 89, the roller 109 moves up on the inclined surface of the extension. 101; the said roller being mounted in the frame 107 draws the arm 108 up with it. When the arm 106 is thrown from the position shown in Fig.1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 110 will thrust the'latch 99 down and detain the succeeding cartridge and the spring 111 will return the frame 107 to its normal position.

Thearm 106 is moved from one position to the other by means ofthe pin 112 secured at the outer end of'the short arm 113 of the said arm 106; this pin travels in a groove 114 of the wheel 58; the said wheel traveling forward causes the shoulder 115 of the groove'lll to impinge againstthe pin 112 which operation will cause the short arm 113 to t1' up and thelong arm 106 to' tip backwar these two arms turning on the pivot .116 attached 'to the fixed standard 103, see Fig.7.

As the wheels 58 move around carrying thebartridge charged cannon with them, it is necessar to provide means for preventing the cartri ge from dropping out before it is desired. To this end I provide covers or casings 117, two on eachc'annon hinged at 118 and springs 119 for keeping them in their closed position, when desired. Secured to the pivot 118 is a link 120, ivotally secured at its other end to the b ock 121 which travels in the irre ular groove 122 of the circular frame 77. he link is held in position by the arm128, the latter being pivotally secured to the block 121 at one end and at the other end pivoted at .124 tothe stud 125 on the wheel 58. It will,be seen that as the implement advances the operation of the just above described parts will close the covers 117 over the cartridges, see right hand side of Fig.1, and prevent the cartridgesfrom leaving the cannon as the latter descends to the lower position and back and effect this exposure.

While the low members 71, are usually sufficiently e ective in assisting traction I provide supplementary spokes 126 which render the traction effective.

As before stated when the'high explosive cartridge functions and the surrounding soil is disturbed it is generallynecessaryto fill up the holecreated thereby, that is to "partially fill it, so as to provide the requisite receptacle for the seed.

To'accomplish this to the right degree, I

provide a cultivator blade 127; this is secured to the yoke am 128 which extends rearwardly from the axle 59 and is journaledaround same at 129 and 130 suitable bearings 131 being provided; specifically the cultivator blade 127 is mounted on the shaft 132 journ'aled at both ends 133 in the yokearm 128; wheels 134 also mounted and turning with the shaft 132 are provided to reignlate to some extentthe penetration of the cultivator blade 127; this blade shovels the soil into the openin caused by the explosion,

the depth of which 15 indicated by the curved dotted line Y, Fig. 1, and as the blade passes and partially fills in, it leaves an opening or receptacle 0 of a depth suitable for the reception of the seed.

In connection with the above I employ seed planters which ma be of the ordinary construction. At 135 I show bins containing the seed; the means for conveying the seed fromthe'bin to the collapsible spot 136 are well known in the art and need not be specifically described; an operating sprocket wheel 137 driven by the cl1ain65 and mounted on any suitable shaft is shown; suitable means also well known are provided for dropping the seed periodically in the openings O; co'verers' or cultivators 138, one on each side follow the planter and cover up the seed; the cultivators are shown near rear extensions 139 of the yoke-arm 128 and are attached to extensions 1410 of frame 10; the

seed when so positioned in the soil and by the foregoing instrumentalities is shown at S in Figs. 1 and 5; I have thus shown and described a complete organizer implement for carrying my invention into effect.

The special instrumentalities herein shown may be varied in many ways as the appended claims are founded upon a novel process, the means employed to carry such process into practical effect being capable of wide differentiation; a basic fact of my invention is the periodic deposition of the high explosive, the reglilxlarly spaced explosive or gas expanding c arges and I thereby, with its of wheel 58 stillm'ore' nether way of introducing the high explosive in the soil would be-by" a 'strand which could be laid inthesoil in any suitable way,

as in a furrow 'and then firing same at any desired time, months afterward if necessary,' j always providiii that the strand could he suitably rotecte from" the elements'so that its desira le qualities'would not be impaired.

Or such strand could in addition to the explosive be furnished with fertilizing material which could be liberated in the soil when the explosion took place; or in place of the fertilizer or in conjunction with it if desired I could associate the seed, such as wheat which could be liberated to the soil when the explosion took place.

In this way large areas could be treated and .the strands with their contained elements lie inactive until the desired time, when froma central station say, the entire field could be planted in a moment by releasin the seed to the soil in the manner just descri ed.

Manifold other means can be devised for utilizing a systematic and periodic deposition of sealed high explosive packages for tillage purposes.

It is manifest that while I have particularly described my invention as applicable to agricultural purposes it can with equal facility be used in the formation of irrigation and drainage projects such as ditching, the making of irrigation laterals and forming drainage supply channels; it can also be used for military purposes as where a field can be treated and mined, such mines being subsequently exploded.

I claim- 1. The process of soil treatment consisting-min progressively inserting successive dc to and regularly spaced gas expanding bodies beneath the S011 surface during an uninterrupted traversing movement.

2. The process of soil treatment consisting of progressively insertin definite and regularly spaced expandible odies durin an uninterrupted traversing movement an releasing the bodies in an expanding state beneath the soil.

3. The process of soil treatment consisting in rogressively inserting definite and regular y spaced gas expanding charges beneath the soil surface during an uninterrupted traversing movement and subsequentl releasing the charges successively.

4. Idle process of soil treatment consisting in rogressively insertin definite and regular y spaced explosive c arges beneath the soil surface during an uninterrupted traversing movement and substantially exploding the charges successively.

5. The process of 'soil treatment consisting in pr'ogressively inserting definite and regu larly spaced explosive charges beneaththe soil: surface diiring an uninterrupted traversiiig movement and subsequently during the same traverse'exploding the charges suc ces'sively. i

' 6: The 'artg'of agriculture consisting inprogressively insert-ing definite and regularly s1 soil surface during an uninterrupted traversing movement, subsequently exploding the charges successively and planting seed in the loosened soil during the same traverse.

7. The process of soil treatment consistlng in progressively loosening the top or surface soil, inserting definite and regularly spaced gas expanding charges in the subsoil during an uninterrupted movement and subsequently releasing the charges successively.

8. The art of agriculture consisting in progressively releasing definite and regularly spaced gas expanding bodies in a state of expansion beneath the soil surface during an uninterrupted traversing movement and subsequently planting seed in the loosened soil during the same traverse.

9. The art of agriculture consisting in progressively loosening the top or surface soil, inserting definite and regularly spaced gas expanding charges in the sub-soil during an uninterru ted traversing movement, releasing the c arges successively, and finally planting seed in the loosened soil durin the same traverse.

l0. Ihe art of agriculture consisting in progressively loosening the top or surface soil, inserting definite and regularly spaced gas expanding charges in the sub-soil durin an uninterrupted traversing movement, re easing the charges successively, depositing the seed in the loosened soil and finally and during the same traverse covering the deposited seed.

11. An apparatus for treating the soil embodying a suitable vehicle, a container carried by said vehicle for holdin unexpanded gas expandin charges an means for contlnuously an automatically discharging these charges in an expanded state beneath the surface of the soil.

12. An apparatus for treating the soil embodying a suitable vehicle, a container carried by said vehicle for holding gas expand ing charges, means for continuously and automatically introducing said charges beneath the surface of the soil, and automatically operating means for subsequently releasing said charges successively.

13. An apparatus for treating soil comprising continually operating means for forming regularly spaced orifices 1n the soil, means for automatically placing explosive a'ce'd explosive" charges"beneath the 1 charges insaid orifices and means forautomatically exploding said charges sucees sively.

14. An agricultural apparatus coniprising continuously operating means for forming regularly spaced orifices in thesoih means for automatically placing explosive charges in saidorifiees, means for-automatically exploding said charges successively and mechanism for planting seed .in the loosened soil.

a .115- ,Ani a ricultural pparatus ic mprr aina n f be n t surface so l,- 911:. tinuously operatiyimeans for ,fomning-regu r y Spa d ifi es in: t s b-,s ili omm ah or a qm al' y P ng e inlbsiv is a ig e l -sa er fi r a 11 1" au em i s llyiiexa plodin said charges -sucoessiy ely, gmeeh m m Pl ng e n thei q elq ene y exp vwharg a eanfilfores) erlng thegleposlted seed. a 

